The Boston Redevelopment Authority approved Boston University’s Myles Standish Hall and Annex Renovation Project Thursday following a two-month process of reviewing the renovation’s Project Notification Form.
Marc Robillard, executive director of BU Auxiliary Services, said the approval was critical to moving forward with the renovation. Construction will begin May 16 and will be completed by the summer of 2018.
“This is a major milestone,” Robillard said. “It’s very important. It would be a showstopper if we didn’t receive it, but we did and we are in compliance with everything the city has asked for, so we can continue on.”
BU submitted the PNF, a document describing the project’s features that is open to public review and comment, to the BRA Dec. 11, 2015. During the review period, a public meeting open to Allston and Fenway residents was held Jan. 13 at the Rafik B. Hariri building and continued with further comment sessions to the public, The Daily Free Press reported.
The BRA Board approved the university’s plan during its February meeting and made way for the university to start construction.
An open comment period is still underway as the final step of approval, Robillard said.
“There’s a 14-day comment period that’s open to the public,” he said. “That will culminate around the middle of March, [and] then the director of the BRA will issue a letter to us that says we can continue. We’ve got hundreds of things going on anyway in terms of planning, but this says the city’s involvement with the project can continue.”
Robillard said BU is also working with a variety of city organizations, including the Back Bay West/Bay State Road Architectural Conservation District, the Boston Water and Sewer Commission, Public Improvement Commission, the Boston Transportation Department and the Inspectional Services Department to plan and complete the renovation.
Katelyn Sullivan, a senior project manager for the BRA, wrote in an email that the approval process included a BRA task force’s review of BU’s PNF and any comments from the public.
“Factors taken into consideration include the public process ([BU] Task Force/community meetings), comments received during the comment period and the Project Notification Form,” she wrote. “We make sure that the project is in compliance with submission requirements pursuant to Article 80 of the Boston Zoning Code.”
Several students said this overdue renovation will expand future options for on-campus housing but might create challenges during construction.
Clarissa Kuo, a sophomore in the Questrom School of Business, said giving Myles the much-needed improvement could make it more attractive and keep students in on-campus housing.
“My parents went here and they said Myles looks the same as it did when they went here 30 years ago,” she said. “If they can make Myles more desirable, I think it would be great to keep people on campus, but it sucks because there’s going to be significantly less housing next year. I live in Myles right now and it’s not that great, but it is what it is.”
Allison Horowitz, a sophomore in the Sargent College of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, said the renovation could create difficulties for the students who choose to live there with discounted rates.
“The renovations are much needed,” she said. “You know, they’re also giving 50 percent off housing and I think that’s a great idea, but I think most people are just hearing the ‘50 percent off’ and not really thinking about the fact that it’s going to be under construction.”
Alvaro Dafonte, a junior in the College of Arts and Sciences, said though the renovation will pose challenges to students, the discounted housing costs are a positive.
“The only downside to this entire renovation might be how it would bother the students,” she said. “If they’re giving an economic incentive by lowering the price for students to live there during the renovation, I don’t see anything wrong with it.”
Sadiah Thompson contributed to the reporting of this article.
Can anyone provide details on the renovations? Worth a visit to campus to reminisce before they start?